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ARTICLE · 24 MAY 2004

Weathering a U.S. Customs Focused Assessment

Holland & Knight LLP
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When a company is notified by the U.S. Customs Service that it will be the subject of a Focused Assessment, management needs to take the notice seriously and act swiftly. A Focused Assessment is not a random request for information. Customs is targeting the company, and significant penalties are a very real possibility. The company must act promptly and carefully avoid significant liability.

United StatesInternational Law
Ronald Oleynik
Ronald Oleynik
Jonathan Epstein
Jonathan Epstein

When a company is notified by the U.S. Customs Service that it will be the subject of a Focused Assessment, management needs to take the notice seriously and act swiftly. A Focused Assessment is not a random request for information. Customs is targeting the company, and significant penalties are a very real possibility. The company must act promptly and carefully avoid significant liability.

The Focused Assessment

A Focused Assessment is an audit of a company’s internal import controls (i.e., both written policies and their practical application) to assess the risk of non-compliance. The basic areas of focus are:

  • Classification
  • Valuation
  • Special Trade Programs (GSP, NAFTA)
  • Trade Priority Issues (Chapter 98 Imports, Quotas)

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